From Publishers Weekly
Australian author Fallon's rousing final entry in her Demon Child trilogy (after 2004's Treason Keep) relies less on standard high fantasy tropes than its predecessors. Half-Harshini/half-human R'shiel is now comfortable with her destiny as the demon child, but she's still clueless about how to accomplish her mission. Nor does she completely understand her powers or how to use them. Intent on saving the gods and the demigodlike Harshini by defeating the austere god Xaphista, whose minions control the land of Medalon, R'shiel must also act as a marriage counselor to Princess Adrina of Fardohnya and Damin Wolfblade, Warlord of Krakandar, whose union she has forced for political purposes. Guided by the half-Harshini Brak, R'shiel has little time to accomplish her many tasks, since the Harshini king grows ever weaker. Once past the initial requisite prΓ©cis of the past, readers will find that the pace moves briskly to the dramatic conclusion.
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From
Book three of the Hythrun Chronicles moves inexorably toward the final battle against the god Xaphista and his fanatical followers. R'shiel has accepted her role as the demon child and, though still learning her great powers, knows she must defeat the god before he destroys the Harshini and takes all the lands as his own. Medalon has surrendered to the god's forces, and Tarja and the Defenders have been forced to flee into the wilderness, where Tarja hopes to join forces with Damin Wolfblade and his Hythrun army. But the Hythrun high prince has died, and the Hythrun capital is besieged by the forces of a pretender to the throne. Damin, now the high prince, must save the city. As in Medalon (2004) and Treason Keep (2004), the capricious gods are part of the mix, and now intrigue and counterintrigue become even more complicated. The battles are fierce, the losses heartrending in Fallon's beautifully created world, whose disparate inhabitants are once again completely convincing, making Harshini a chilling, thrilling conclusion to the trilogy. Sally Estes
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